In the process of production of semiconductor integrated circuit devices and other various electronic devices (hereinafter also referred to as “IC devices”) , an electronic device test apparatus is used for testing performances and functions of IC devices in the state formed on a wafer or in a packaged state.
This electronic device test apparatus uses a handler or prober to electrically connect IC devices to a test head and uses a tester to run tests on them. The test head is provided on top with an interface apparatus for interconnecting electrical connections between the IC devices and the test head (hereinafter simply referred to as a “HiFix (High Fidelity Tester Access Fixture)” or “wafer mother board”).
A conventional HiFix is provided at its topmost part with socket boards on which sockets having a large number of contact pins electrically contacting input/output terminals of IC devices are mounted and at its bottommost part with an interconnection board electrically connected to the socket boards through electrical cables. The interconnection board has the ends of the electrical cables directly soldered to it. The HiFix is electrically connected through this interconnection board to the test head.
To streamline the tests, one HiFix is provided with a large number of (for example, 32, 64, or 128) sockets. Further, several electrical cables are led out from each socket.
For that reason, when fabricating a HiFix, several thousand electrical cables have to be soldered to the interconnection board. This consumes tremendous manpower and requires skilled workers and therefore has become a factor behind higher costs in a HiFix.
To deal with this problem, it may be considered effective to change the interconnection board to a detachable connector structure. However, the electrical cables electrically connecting the socket boards and the interconnection board include, for example, coaxial cables for transmitting high speed signals, single wires for supplying power or transmitting low speed signals, and others of a plurality of types of cables. For that reason, it is necessary to prepare a plurality of types of connectors corresponding to all of the cables and therefore the costs of HiFix have not been able to be sufficiently reduced.